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Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

I like this idea a lot. I'm a hobbyist, and that's all I ever expect to be, but the idea of raising a few nucs to sell appeals to me. It would be nice to talk to folks who do that sort of work on a small scale.

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

I am brand new and just installed my first package, but am concentrating on selling nucs in the future to at least break even on beekeeping. I may also sell custom built hives if it makes sense to do so. Being labeled as a hobbyist or rec beek seems to conjure up images of a pricey hobby, so 'sideliner' is my status from here on out. Thumbs up for this forum.

John Sampson-Tucker County, WV
Starting over. >Back up to 9 hives! All cutouts and swarms.

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

Great idea. I took over the family sideline business eight years ago and am always looking for advice. The beekeeping literature available is mainly focused on hobby beekeepers or the science of bees. It is always helpful to get ideas of how to run a sideline business more effectively.

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

Lets just do it. Commercial doesn't do it for me most of time as this is what I'm doing. Running treatment free 10+ years, 8 frame setup. 27 hives last year, lost 4 to queen failure-starvation this past winter. I don't replace queens except when they are clearly failing.....sometimes I miss them : ). Run screen top and bottom all year. Doing varietal honey, Ross Rounds, gonna do whole comb frames this year to sell to restaurants for breakfast buffets. Sell direct to consumer, farmers market, plus a couple of boutique stores. Get a minimum of $8 lb, up to around $14 lb. Run operation with small trailer and couple of pickup trucks. I'm clearly not commercial : ) and a bit past a hobbiest ......maybe : ). Also do nucs and thinking about queens.

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

I see no real reason to have a dedicated "sideliner forum" The only reason to have special forums is to enforce special rules. At least on this site, I very seldom pay any attention to what forum an actual thread is on. I asked questions where they fit, and reply where and when I see fit. The only time I have had to even trouble with a particular forum is when "special rules" are used to limit discussion, which is what forums are all about. The I have never cared about joining an exclusive club either.

I have never felt ostrasized or shunned by the commercial forum members. As in all of life, your results will be dependent on the way you conduct yourself.

So maybe I am not a good example. because as I say, I pay little attention the the "forum", but pay lots of attention to the threads and contributors. For my, it is about the discussion, not about where it is posted. Also with the ispy feature (view latest posts) it is mute. The onnly other reason to have a dedicated forum is ease of finding a particular thread, but with search, even that is not very relevant.

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

I respect what naysayers have to say and I too search the forums but I would have to disagree. The search function does not always work for me and there is a lot of time wasted trying to sift through the myriad of responses, many of which get off topic. The threads on the Bee Forum cycle off the first page way too quickly. Half the time a post doesn't even get a response because it gets shuffled away so fast. If the site can have "An Alternative Pollinator" forum that last had a post a month ago why can't we have a Sideliner Forum that I am sure would get much more traffic.

Patiently waiting for Barry's response...

"Someday we will look back and realize someone was right...and conveniently forget we were the ones that were wrong."

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

Below is the description given for the current "Commercial" forum:

Commercial Beekeeping/Pollination

Beekeeping from a commercial point of view. Focus is on income production and cost/time efficiencies, pros/cons of certain practices, and other subjects more of concern to those making their primary income from bees.

If you want Barry to add this forum, it will be probably easier to persuade him if we can agree on the forum guidelines. But if you don't feel guidelines are appropriate, then you might as well just use the existing Bee Forum. So here's my initial attempt at a forum header.

Sideliner Beekeeping/Pollination

Beekeeping from a part-time, income producing point of view. The Sideliner forum focus is on income production and cost/time efficiencies, pros/cons of certain practices, and other subjects more of concern to those making less than than their primary income from bees.

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

I imagine that Barry might be more inclined if someone agreed to moderate the forum. I have no objections, but as I said before, for me it will make no difference. But for others there may be more value, as my eventual goal is to progress from sideliner to full commerical.

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

I Second Radar's motion!!!!

Originally Posted by Rader Sidetrack

Below is the description given for the current "Sideliner" forum:

Sideliner Beekeeping/Pollination

Beekeeping from a part-time, income producing point of view. The Sideliner forum focus is on income production and cost/time efficiencies, pros/cons of certain practices, and other subjects more of concern to those making less than than, or looking to make their primary income from bees.

Somehow trying to work this part out in my head, just not rolling right just yet. Thought behind it: those trying to grow into sidelining AND sideliners trying to grow beyond?

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

Originally Posted by Rader Sidetrack

Sideliner Beekeeping/Pollination

Beekeeping from a part-time, income producing point of view. The Sideliner forum focus is on income production and cost/time efficiencies, pros/cons of certain practices, and other subjects more of concern to those making less than than their primary income from bees.

You better get Sheri's permission to use her wording! She worked long and hard on that description!

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

Most definitions I've seen regard Sideliners as managing up to 300-400 hives. I think the number of hives is immaterial. The main point is that regardless of the number of hives the beekeeper is "attempting" to make an income at this crazy business we call beekeeping!

I agree with Sidetrack guidelines are probably important so the forum doesn't become a catchall. Worse case, it bombs and the forum gets deleted. But maybe I am ignorant to forum architecture.

I will throw my name in the hat as a moderator.

"Someday we will look back and realize someone was right...and conveniently forget we were the ones that were wrong."

Re: New Forum Idea: Sideliners

Interesting on definitions of sideliner. I do not want to manage my bees the way the commercial guys do and do not want to be that large. Not certain how many hives I will end up with at this point. For me commercial beeks are similar to big Ag production. I'm more incline to be a like the small family farm producer. The main draw of my honey and bees are that they are local. I make money, but not my living from bees. With 30 hives and climbing some this year, would I be considered a sideliner? I think a key definition would be make a profit but not a living if we are trying to define sideliner.